Thames at London, England 22 June 2010
Of the 3rd Town-class class light cruisers or Edinburgh sub-class preceded by the Arethusa-class and succeeded by the Dido-class. Building ordered on 21 September 1936 laid down by Harland and Wolff Shipyard, Belfast, Northern Ireland with yard umber 1000 on 10 December 1936, launched on 17 March 1938, completed on 3 August 1939, commissioned on 6 August 1939, decommissioned on 24 August 1963 and since 21 October 1971 museum ship. With a displacement of 11.550 tons and as dimensions 186,99 (over all) x 19,3 x 5,56 (fore)-602 (aft) metres or 613.6 x 63.4 x 18.3-19.9 feet. The 4 Parsons single reduction geared steam turbines and 4 Admiralty oil fuelled 3-drum boilers supplied 80.000 shp allowing a speed of 32 knots. Her crew numbered 781-881 (last figure while serving as flagship in 1939). The armour consisted of a 11,3cm/4.5” thick main belt, 6,35cm/2.5” thick bulkheads, with the magazines and machinery protected by respectively 7,6cm/3” and 5.1cm/2” thick decks and the main turrets by maximum 10,2cm/4” armour. Her original armament consisted of 4x3-15,cm/6” Mk XXIII guns, 6x2-10,2cm/4”Mk VI dual purpose guns, , 2x8-4cm/2pound anti aircraft guns, 2x4-1,3cm/0.5” anti aircraft machineguns, 2x3-53,3cm/21” torpedo tubes and until June 1943 2 Supermarine Walrus aircraft for which 2 hangars were available and a catapult the latter removed in 1945.
